Portable gravel screen



June 2, 1953 v p, FINGER 2,640,592

' PbRTABLE GRAVEL SCREEN I Filed June 30, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IINVENTOR t:- PHILIP M. FINGER FIG. 5.. BY

ATTORNEY June 2, 1953 F. M. FINGER PORTABLE GRAVEL SCREEN Filed June 30,1949 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. ll.

INVENTOR PHILIP M. FINGER ATTORNEY Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE PORTABLE GRAVEL SCREEN Philip M. Finger, St. Louis, Mo.Application June 3'0, 1949, Serial No. 102,373

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates in general to certain new and useful improvementsin portable, gravel cleansing machines adapted for use by roofers onhigh roofs and similar locations which are normally difficult of access.

At the present time most large commercial and industrial buildings suchas cflice buildings, hotels, apartment houses, loft buildings and thelike have fiat, gravel'ed roofs which must be repaired or resurfacedfrom time to time. In performing such operations, roofers usually brushand scrape all the old gravel off the roofing surface and laboriouslylower the used gravel to the street level tobe discarded, then, afterthe tar, pitch, or other roof coating composition has been applied, newgravel is hauled up to'the roof with equal labor and efiort and spreadover the surface to complete the job. Obviously, the old gravel is justas good as the new gravel except that it is dirty and contaminated butheretofore it has been impossible to clean and screen it to removefines, foreign particles, and dust.

It is, hence, the primary object of the present invention to provide aportable machine which is particularly adapted for cleaning roofer-sgravel and removing therefrom all dust and other deleterious material sothat the gravel may be reused in situ.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a portablegravel cleansing machine comprising sections which may be easilydisassembled and assembled for facile transportation and handling.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a gravelcleansing machine having angularly disposed screen members forfacilitating the displacement of collected material therefrom.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a gravelcleansing machine which is simple in construction and reliable inoperation.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in thenovel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination ofparts presently described and pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings (two sheets)- Figure l is a sideelevational view of a screening machine constructed in accordance withand embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the gravel cleansing machine;

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views taken along lines 3-4 and4 4, respectively, of Figure '1;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5--'5. ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing the connection betweenthe channel members and the supporting angle members of the conveyorforming a part of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 'II of Figure6;

Figure 8- is a fragmentary side elevational view of a verticallegsection and the means of connecting the component elements thereof;

Figure 9 is a fragmentarytransver'se sectional view takenalon line 9--9of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line Ic -I0 ofFigure 1;

Figure II is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line II- II ofFigure 10; and

Figure 12 is an exploded view of the screening machine showing therelation between the several component elements thereof.

In broadest outline the invention resides in a sel'fcontained,conveyerized, gravel cleansing machine comprisingsections which may beeasily disassembled and assembled, and having screen members disposed atan angle to the horizontal in order to permit easy displacement ofcollected material therefrom.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawingswhich. illustrate a preferredembodiment of the present invention, Adesignates a gravel cleansing machine having a main frame section Bwhich. comprises spacedparallel angle iron members I, I. Extendingtransversely between said members I, I. and secured at their endsthereto, as by welding, are a. plurality Of spaced, parallel cross bars2. Welded to each member I, I, are the lower ends of a series of,preferably four, support legs 5-, B, I, 8. The leg 5 of each series isdisposed. at the forward end-of the members I, I, and inclinesrearwardly and inwardly, being connected, adjacent its upper end, bybars 9 to the legs 6 which are spaced rearwardly therefrom and inclineinwardly. The legs 1, having their lower ends adjacent' that of the legs8, incline inwardly and rearwardly and are connected to the legs 6 bybars It, said legs 7 being further braced by struts II which aresecured. at their lower ends to the members I, I. The legs 8 aredisposed at the rearward end of the members I, I and incline forwardlyand inwardly, being braced by struts I2- welded at their lower ends tothe mem-" bers l, I. Suitably secured, as by welding, to the upper endof each of the legs 5, 6, 1, 8, for

projection beyond the end margin thereof, is a short angle section 13(see Figure 8).

Removably secured by bolts l3 to the section [3 on each of the legs 7,8, are the lower ends of leg members l5, l5, respectively, of a motorsupport section C. The legs I5, (6, are in alignment with the legs I, 8,respectively, and thus, converge at their upper ends (see Figure 1) andare braced adjacent thereto by a connecting bar I! welded at its ends tothe legs l5, 15. Each pair of legs l5, l 6, is connected by alongitudinally extending member 18 and connecting the legs 16 and I6, Iand I5, are transversely extending members l9, said members It, IS,being welded at their ends to the legs they respectively connect.Mounted upon the members 18 and extending transversely thereacross toform a platform is a pair of spaced parallel channel bars 20 projectingoutwardly beyond the member l8. It should be noted that legs 1, 3, l5and I8 and the platform formed by members/l8, I9 and 20 constitute arigid A-frame. Upon the projected portions of the bars 25 there issecured, as by bolts, a prime mover 2|, such as an electric motor orsmall gasoline engine having a drive shaft 22 upon which is mounted apulley 23 drivingly connected by a belt 24 to a relatively large pulley25 suitably fixed upon a shaft 26 journaled in bearing mounts 2'! whichare secured as by bolts upon spaced, longitudinally-extending channelbars 28 secured at one end to the member [9 and its other end to thebars 25. Fixed upon one end of the shaft 26 is a sprocket wheel 29connected by a chain 30 to a sprocket wheel 31 suitably mounted upon oneend of a shaft 32 which is journaled in bearing mounts 33 secured bybolts 34 to the rearwardly presented faces of the legs 16 (see Figure11). Mounted upon the other end of the shaft 32 is a sprocket wheel35"which engages the lower loop of a chain 35, the upper loop of whichengages a sprocket Wheel 37 fixed on one end of a shaft 38. Said shaft38 is journaled in bearing members 39 suitably secured by bolts toflanges 40 of support brackets 4| suitably secured, as by welding, tothe underface of the rearward end of each of a pair of downwardly andforwardly inclined, spaced, parallel, inwardly-opening channel members42, 43, of a conveyor-support section D. The channel members 42, 43, aresupported by angle members 44, 45, respectively, the end portions of thechannel members 42, 43, extending beyond the ends of the angle sections44, 45, respectively. Welded to the outer faces of each of the anglesections 44, 45, are preferably three spaced, relatively short anglesections 45, 41, 48, which are horizontally disposed in parallelrelation to the ground or supporting surface. The horizontal flange ofeach of the sections 46, 41, 48, is provided with an aperture 49 forreceiving a bolt 50 which extends through an aligned aperture 5| in aprojecting plate member 52 welded to the outer face of the channelmembers 42, 43 (see Figure 7) for secure maintenance thereof within theangle sections 44, 45, respectively.

Secured, as by welding, to the under margin of the vertical flange ofthe sections 47, 48, and to the adjacent surface of the angle members44, 45, are the upper ends of downwardly extending leg members 53, 54,respectively, and similarly secured to the vertical flange of thesection 46 are the superimposed upper ends of leg members 55, 55. Thelegs 53, 54, are in alignment with the legs 5, 6, respectively, of themain frame section B and are detachably secured at their lower ends bybolts l3 to the members [3 mounted on the upper ends of the legs 5, 5.The leg members 55, 56, are respectively aligned with the legs l5, it,of the motor support frame C and are secured to the sections 13 mountedon the upper ends of said legs l5, 16. Intermediate the short sections48, 47, and 41, 46, there are pinned to the outer face of the channelmembers 44, 45, the superimposed upper ends of brace members 51, 53, and59, 60, respectively. At'their lower ends, the braces 51, 58, aresecured, as by welding, to the legs 54, 53, respectively, the brace 59being also similarly secured to the leg 53. The brace member 65 isremovably attached by a bolt I3 to an angle section l3 projectingforwardly and upwardly from the leg I5 of the motor support section C(see Figure 1). It will thus be seen that upon removal of the loop 36from the sprocket 3'! the conveyor-support section D may be readilydetached from the main frame section B and the motor support section Cby disengagement of bolts 13' joining the sections 13 on the legs 5, 5,l5, (5, to the legs 54, 53, 55, 55, and the brace member 50.

Welded to the underface of each of the channel members 42, 45, at theirforward ends, is a depending plate member Bl, 6| respectively, havingoutwardly turned flanges 62, 62', respectively, at their lower marginssuitably apertured for receiving bolts 58 for securement to hearingmembers 64, 54, respectively, which support a shaft 65 having a wheel 66mounted thereon. About the wheel 56 there is engaged one loop of anendless belt 5'1, the upper loop of which is engaged about a Wheel 66mounted on the shaft 58. Provided upon the outer face of the belt 51' isa plurality of spaced, three-sided bucket members 69. Disposed suitablyupon the top surface of the channel members 42, 43, adjacent their lowerends, is a hopper (0 through which material to be graded is dischargedinto the buckets 59 of the belt 51.

Approximately intermediate their length the angle members 44, 45, areconnected by a plurality of cross bars H which are secured at their endsin the angle members 44, 45. Welded to the top surfaces of the crossbars H- is a plate 12 which curves downwardly at its ends, as at I3, i4,beyond the bottom surface of the angle members 44, 45. Said plate 12thus provides a centrally disposed sustaining surface for the belt 61 asit progresses upwardly.

Secured by bolts '85 to the top surfaces of the upper ends of thechannel members 42, 43, is the forward margin of an arcuate,deflector-guard member 16 which is spaced rearwardly of the upper loopof the belt 67 and terminates spacedly therebelow.

Bolted to each of the legs [6 of the motor support frame C are bracemembers 11, TI, respectively, of a screen support section E which attheir lower ends are secured, as by welding, to the forward ends offrame members 18, 18', respectively, which incline upwardly and inwardlywith their rearward ends terminating beneath the plane of the upper endsof the angle sections 71, H. Said members 18, 18, are connected tolongitudinally extending angle members 19, 19', respectively, which,having their horizontal flanges projecting outwardly, are secured attheir forof the difference in height of the upper ends of the members77, IT, and 19, I9. Extending transversely between the angle members 19,"I9", adjacent their forward and rearward ends are cross members 89, 80,respectively, fabricated also of angle iron and having their horizontalflange portions projecting inwardly (see Figure 11). Mounted spacedly onthe vertical flange of each of the angle members 19,- 19', is aplurality of inwardly projecting stub shafts 8| having rollers 82vdisposed on their inner ends. Said rollers 82 supportingly engage theunder surface of the horizontal flange of longitudinally extending anglesections 83, 83', of a screen holder 84. The upper margin of theverticaliilange of each of the sections 83, 83, is engaged by relativelysmall rollers. 85 mounted on the inner ends of stub shafts 8E- journaledin bearing brackets 8'! spacedly welded to the outwardly projectinghorizontal flange of the members. I9, I9 (see Figure The angle sections;83, 83', are connected, as by welding, at their forward ends, to theends of a transversely extending frame member 88. Mounted. at theirlower endsinv the corners thus formed by the sections 83, 8'3", and themember 88- are upstanding posts 89, 89. Mounted in the upper endsv ofsaid members 89, 9.9 and rojecti-ng laterally therefrom are arms St, to,respectively, to the outer ends of which. are secured one end of links9i, 9I", respectively. Said links 9!, 9I are eccentricall-y pinned attheir other ends to the. sprocket wheels 3!, 35, respectively. Securedto the forward ends of themembers 83, 83', are upstanding posts 92, 93,respectively. The upper end of the post 92 is in horizontal alignmentwith the upper end of the post 89 whereas the post 93 is relativelyshorter. Connecting the upper ends of the posts 92, 93, and 92, 89, areangle members 94, 95, respectively, having their horizontal flangesprojecting inwardly. Because of the difference in height of the posts92, 93, the angle member as will be disposed at an angle to thehorizontal and the longitudinal flange 95 of the member 95 (see Figure10) projects inwardly substantiall in a plane parallel to the member 94,for reasons appearing more fully hereinafter. Extending between andsuitably secured at the ends to the upper end of the post 89 and a pointapproximately midway the length of the post 39' is an angle member 96which is thus disposed at a slightly greater angle to the horizontalthan the member 94!. The horizontal flanges of the members 95, 95, 96,provide securement surfaces for a relatively coarse rectangular screen91 which slants downwardly toward its unattached, open side due to theinclined disposition of the members 94, 96. It will thus be seen thatthe vertical flanges of the members 94, 95, 96, provide a rim around thescreen 97. At its unattached or open side the screen 91 communicateswith a downwardly projecting chute 98 suitably secured, as by welding,to the posts 93, 89', and supported by brackets 99, welded to the anglemember 83.

Secured on three sides, at its margins, to the horizontal flanges of themembers 83, 83', 88, is a rectangular screen Hi9 of finer mesh than thescreen 91, being unattached or open at its rearward end forcommunication with a chute IIJI suitably secured to the members I8, 18.Secured at its upper margins, as by welding, to the members I9, I9, is adepending chute I02. It will be noted by reference to Figures 10 and 11that the lower screen I99 is not parallel to the screen 91 but extendstransversely in a substantially horizontal plane and longitudinally inan inclined plane, whereas the screen 9'] extends transversely 6. inaninclinedplane and longitudinally in a substantially horizontal: plane.

V In use, the gravel-cleansing machine'A is dis-'- connected or brokendown into its several. component sections B, C, D, E, as shown inFigure: 1 2. and: the separate sections are separately hauled up to theroof being repaired and there assembled for cleansing operations,thereupon, the motor I9 is set in motion causing the belt 6! to travelabout the wheels 66, 68, by rotation of the pulley 25 and sprocketwheels 3I, 35, and 31. The material to be screened, such as gravel andthe like, is then poured into the hopper H3 and is conveyed by thebuckets l9 upwardly and discharged therefrom downwardly upon the screen91. Rotation of the sprocket wheels 3|, 35, causes the links 9|, SI, tobe rotated eccentrically thereby imparting a'reciprocating vibratorymotion to the screen holder 8 1, along a path determined by the rollers82, 85. The deflector member it directs the material onto the screen 91where,through the vibratory action, the material caught thereby will beshaken or bounced downwardly toward the open side of said screen 97-,onto the chute 99 and thence into any suitable collector which may beprovided. The material passing through the screen 91 will descend uponthe screen H39 and the portion thereof which sifts through will dropdownwardly throughthe chute I02 for collection. The material tailingv topass. the screen I93 will, due to the vibratory action and to therearward'inclination of said screen I00, be shaken or bounced to therearward, open side of the screen I09 and onto the chute HH for ultimatecollection. Thereby three grades of material are provided. It is obviousthat additional screens may be provided at varying angles with thehorizontal for presenting a greater number of grades of material.

It will thus be seen that the gravel cleansing machine A is comprised ofthe four sections, namely, main frame B, motor-support C,conveyor-support D, and screen-support E. As shown hereinabove, thesevarious sections are detachable one from the other by the simpleexpedients of loosening the appropriate bolts. The screen supportsection E may be removed by loosening the bolts securing the members TI,TI, to the legs I6 of the motor-support section C and by slipping therearward ends of the links 9|, 9i, off the arms 9|], respectively. Themotor-support section 0- may be, after detachment of theconveyor-support section D, as hereinabove described, disconnected fromthe main frame B by merely loosening the bolts I3 which secure the pairof legs I5, IE, to the angle sections I3, which are welded to the upperends of the pair of legs i, 8, respectively. Thus, simple and convenienthandling is provided for transporting the machine A from place to placesince relatively little man power is required to lift onto, and removefrom, trucks and the like, the various sections B, C, D, and E.

This knockdown quality of the machine A thus greatly increases its rangeof utility as it can be carried to and assembled at locations whichhitherto have presented difliculty.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of thegravel cleansing machine may be made and substituted for those hereinshown and described without departing from the nature and principle ofmy invention. For example, where small scale roof repairing operationsor considerations of low initial investment are involved, it is possibleto omit the conveyor and merely employ the central base and framesections on which the prime mover is mounted and attach to one sidethereof the screening device and its associated discharge chutes.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

A portable gravel cleaning machine of the knockdown type comprising anelongated skeletonized main frame having a pair of spaced upstanding endlegs at the forward end and transversely aligned pairs of converginglegs, a motor support section comprising a horizontal platform andtransversely aligned pairs of downwardly diverging legs adapted forconnection at their lower ends to the upper ends of the converging legsfor co-operation therewith to form a rigid A-frame, said platform beingsecured to the legs of said section near their lower ends, a prime movermounted on said platform, a conveyor support section comprising a framehaving spaced depending members, the forward depending members beingaligned with the end legs of the main frame and being detachably securedthereon, the rearward depending members being secured to the apex of theA- frame, an endless belt disposed on the frame of the conveyor supportsection, means drivenly engaged to the prime mover for moving theendless belt, a screen support section comprising a frame removablysecured to the motor support section and extending rearwardly therefrom,

rollers carried by said frame, a screen holder mounted upon saidrollers, and means for reciprocating said holder on said rollers.

PHILIP M. FINGER.

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